The coaching and fight preparation at Xtreme...
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Located in an industrial area just off The Strip, Xtreme Couture has become the top destination for aspiring fighters from around the globe. Named after the General of the gym, 6-time Mixed Martial Arts Champ Ran- dy “The Natural” Couture, Xtreme Couture is home to some of the best fighters in the world today. Fighters like Tyson Griffin, Gray Maynard, Jay Heiron, Forrest Griffin,Vitor Belfort are just a few of the many who call the gym home. XC is not only home to some of the best fighters on the planet but also houses an elite team of coaches that special- ize in each of the individual disciplines that make-up mixed martial arts. MEET THE STAFF: Led by Xtreme Couture head coach Shawn Tompkins, a former North American kickbox- ing champion, the staff at Xtreme Couture is truly one of its kind. Tompkins, who has developed his own unique style of striking around mixed martial arts focuses on en- compasses effective striking methods aimed to both set up and prevent takedowns. Jiu-Jitsu coach Neil Melanson honed his combat skills as a former Special Agent for the US Air Marshals. Neil is a catch wrestler and a specialist in leg locks and triangles; he was trained by Gokor Chivichyan and “Judo” Gene Le Bell. I, Joey Varner, serve as the Thai Boxing Coach and was an amateur boxing and kickboxing champion. I trained in both the Thai and Dutch styles of kickboxing. Like the sport of MMA itself, I blended those styles of fighting and developed my own hybrid striking system. Boxing coaches Gil Martinez, Ron Frazier, and Chris Ben bring a wealth of knowledge and valuable experience to the fighter’s stable. Martinez has spent over ten years in the ring as a fighter and fifteen years experi- ence as a coach. Frazier has been Randy Couture’s boxing coach for the past three years and was a coach with Chris Ben on the 2006 UNLV National Champion boxing team. Jake Bonacci is the gym’s strength and conditioning coach. Jake earned a masters degree in Exercise Physiology and has a strong passion for mixed martial arts. Thanks to Jake and his training regimens, every fighter who represents Xtreme Couture is in peak physical condition when (his/her) fight time comes, thus making weight a non-issue. The coaching and fight preparation at Xtreme Couture extends way beyond the training staff. A true sense of team has emerged in a sport of individuals. The gym’s roster is well rounded with many fighters that specialize in more than one dimension of fighting and are relentlessly working to strengthen their weaknesses as well as improve the skills of others. Fighters helping fight ers, students becoming teachers and teachers becoming students. The motto at Xtreme Couture is “Check Your Ego at the Door”, but it seems as if there is another motto under the surface. A silent un- derstanding that is known by all and spoken by none. “Steel Strengthens Steel!” I can’t make it without you and you can’t make it without me - we are a team……… and so the journey continues. For more on Xtreme Couture, visit, www.everlast.com/xtremecouture.html Joey Varner is a trainer at Xtreme Couture Gym in Las Vegas, Nevada INSIDE XTREME COUTURE THE FIGHTER’S DEN BY JOEY VARNER | LAS VEGAS HAS BECOME A MECCA FOR MIXED MARTIAL ARTISTS. EVERY DAY FIGHTERS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE, FUELED ONLY BY THEIR DREAMS, PACK THEIR SUITCASES AND LEAVE THEIR HOMETOWNS FOR THE JOURNEY TO SIN CITY. ONCE THEY ARRIVE, THE JOURNEY HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN. “The coaching and fight preparation at Xtreme Couture extends way beyond the training staff. A true sense of team has emerged in a sport of individuals.”
Transcript of The coaching and fight preparation at Xtreme...
Located in an industrial area just off The Strip, Xtreme Couture has become the top destination for aspiring fighters from around the globe. Named after the General of the gym, 6-time Mixed Martial Arts Champ Ran-dy “The Natural” Couture, Xtreme Couture is home to some of the best fighters in the world today. Fighters like Tyson Griffin, Gray Maynard, Jay Heiron, Forrest Griffin,Vitor Belfort are just a few of the many who call the gym home. XC is not only home to some of the best fighters on the planet but also houses an elite team of coaches that special-ize in each of the individual disciplines that make-up mixed martial arts.
MEET THE STAFF:Led by Xtreme Couture head coach Shawn Tompkins, a former North American kickbox-ing champion, the staff at Xtreme Couture is truly one of its kind. Tompkins, who has developed his own unique style of striking around mixed martial arts focuses on en-compasses effective striking methods aimed to both set up and prevent takedowns.
Jiu-Jitsu coach Neil Melanson honed his combat skills as a former Special Agent for
the US Air Marshals. Neil is a catch wrestler and a specialist in leg locks and triangles; he was trained by Gokor Chivichyan and “Judo” Gene Le Bell.
I, Joey Varner, serve as the Thai Boxing Coach and was an amateur boxing and kickboxing champion. I trained in both the Thai and Dutch styles of kickboxing. Like the sport of MMA itself, I blended those styles of fighting and developed my own hybrid striking system.
Boxing coaches Gil Martinez, Ron Frazier, and Chris Ben bring a wealth of knowledge and valuable experience to the fighter’s stable. Martinez has spent over ten years in the ring as a fighter and fifteen years experi-ence as a coach. Frazier has been Randy Couture’s boxing coach for the past three years and was a coach with Chris Ben on the 2006 UNLV National Champion boxing team.
Jake Bonacci is the gym’s strength and conditioning coach. Jake earned a masters degree in Exercise Physiology and has a strong passion for mixed martial arts. Thanks to Jake and his training regimens, every fighter who represents Xtreme Couture is in peak physical condition when (his/her) fight
time comes, thus making weight a non-issue.
The coaching and fight preparation at Xtreme Couture extends way beyond the training staff. A true sense of team has emerged in a sport of individuals. The gym’s roster is well rounded with many fighters that specialize in more than one dimension of fighting and are relentlessly working to strengthen their weaknesses as well as improve the skills of others. Fighters helping fight ers, students becoming teachers and teachers becoming students.
The motto at Xtreme Couture is “Check Your Ego at the Door”, but it seems as if there is another motto under the surface. A silent un-derstanding that is known by all and spoken by none. “Steel Strengthens Steel!” I can’t make it without you and you can’t make it without me - we are a team……… and so the journey continues.
For more on Xtreme Couture, visit, www.everlast.com/xtremecouture.html
Joey Varner is a trainer at Xtreme Couture Gym in Las Vegas, Nevada
INSIDE XTREMECOUTURETHE FIGHTER’S DENBY JOEY VarnEr |
LAS VEGAS HAS BECoME A MECCA FoR MIXED MARTIAL ARTISTS. EVERY DAY FIGHTERS FRoM ACRoSS THE GLoBE, FUELED oNLY BY THEIR DREAMS, PACk THEIR SUITCASES AND LEAVE THEIR HoMETowNS FoR THE JoURNEY To SIN CITY. oNCE THEY ARRIVE, THE JoURNEY HAS oNLY JUST BEGUN.
“The coaching and fight preparation at Xtreme Couture extends way beyond the training staff. A true sense of team has
emerged in a sport of individuals.”
